YAN: It was a feeling of déjà-vu for teachers of Sekolah Menengah Agama Taufikiah Khairiah Al-Halimiah or better known as Pondok Pak Ya, when they learnt about the fire that killed 21 students and two wardens in Selangor, early this morning.
Twenty-eight years ago this month, 27 lives were lost in an early morning fire at the school on Sept 22, 1989.
School principal Azizah Yahaya, 74, said the school took years to rebuild itself after the devastating incident.
“Memories of the incident came flashing back when I heard today’s news. We had endure years of trauma and sadness due to the incident and once again it has happened at another school,” she said.
Azizah said since the fire, the school authorities have taken stringent safety precautions to avoid a repeat of the tragedy.
Besides building a better hostel for the students, the students were also taught safety measures to follow in case of fire emergencies.
“After the fire, we received aid from the state Tithe Department, the government and also from donations to rebuild our school.
“Although we are not a government funded school, we still receive regular aid from the Federal government and state government to better equip and improve the infrastructure and facilities here,” she said when met by New Straits Times here today.
Azizah, who is the daughter of Pondok Pak Ya founder Yahaya Junid, said the school also has set up a Fire squad to train students about fire safety.
The squad, initiated by Yayasan Pembangunan Pondok Malaysia (YPPM), was launched by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi last May in Perak.
She added although the school buildings were now built using concrete, regular inspections on school facilities are conducted to prevent untoward mishaps.
This includes getting the Fire and Rescue Services Department to conduct regular inspections and having talks to students about fire safety.
“We learnt the lesson the hard way by losing precious lives but we need to protect the students that we have now by educating them on how to take care of themselves,” she said.